Table of contents for 2024-07-05 in Cape Times

MINISTER in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has defended the bloated executive announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying the electorate chose the election outcome that resulted in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Addressing the media yesterday, Ntshavheni said it was no longer possible for Ramaphosa to fulfil the undertaking he previously made to reduce the number of portfolios in the Cabinet. “In simple terms, the size of the national executive is a result of our electoral outcome, with the need to be inclusive. In addition, the constitution of the national executive had to be cognisant of other national interests such as demographics, geographic spread, youth and gender representation,” she said. Ntshavheni would not be drawn into commenting on the estimated cost of the Cabinet. She, however, stated that it cost…

A New security company has had to be employed as part of an emergency procurement process at a number of provincial health facilities after one of the initially-appointed firms could not carry the load. Three security companies, Phangela Private Security Services, Golden Security Services and Amazim-Zim Security and Private Investigators, took over private security services at 258 health facilities on June 1. However, shortly after being appointed, Amazim-Zim Security and Private Investigators were not able to meet staffing requirements for a smooth transition and a number of health facilities were placed at risk having been short-staffed. Previous companies rendering services before the June 1 takeover had warned that some of the new firms were “inadequately staffed and not trained”. The KwaZulu-Natal based Amazim-Zim Security has since been replaced by Star…

Finding Endurance Shackleton, My Father And A World Without End Darrel Bristow-Bovey Loot.co.za (R179) Jonathan Ball I was instantly drawn to Finding Endurance by Darrel Bristow-Bovey. The book tells the unbelievable story of Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition alongside the author’s journey of self-discovery. This mix of historical adventure and personal reflection hooked me right away. The main plot follows Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, which gets trapped in the Antarctic ice. A remarkable survival story is the result of the crew's perseverance and teamwork in the face of harsh circumstances. Bristow-Bovey parallels this with his exploration of what it means to endure life's challenges. The vividness with which Bristow-Bovey depicts Shackleton and his crew is one thing that caught my attention. I had the impression that I was there with them,…

The Dream About Sinking Aleksandar Bajić Porcupine After a brief while she became aware that the boat was rocking with a greater amplitude than before. A girl at the next table was sick into an ice bucket. All one could see through the windows were sheets of rain. Then there was a loud thud, the deck shivered and the whirr of the engines died down. “Why are the engines quiet?” Nadine wondered, listening to the silence. While the deck kept heaving, she craned her neck, looking through the windows. The other guests did the same. She saw a hooded silhouette in a waterproof on the other side of the nearest window pane and heard the whistling and clicking of his walkie-talkie. His faint voice reached her in the lull between…

SOUTH African consumers’ perceptions about Chinese cars have shifted significantly in recent years. Chinese automotive manufacturers are cementing their spot in the South African market. Last year the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro MAX, a Chinese brand, was voted car of the year in South Africa by the public, the first time a Chinese vehicle has taken that honour. There is no doubt that Chinese car brands have reinvented themselves. They have stepped up to address quality and safety aspects and introduced luxury features and industry-leading warranties. Most of the Chinese car brands are affordable when compared with many brands in the industry. The automotive industry in South Africa has been dominated by German, British, US and Japanese car brands for the longest time. The tables are now turning, with Chinese…

Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched a big rocket and drone attack at Israel yesterday and threatened to hit new targets in retaliation for the killing of a top commander, in the latest surge of violence in the steadily worsening conflict across the border. Sparked by the Gaza war, the conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel has been gradually intensifying for months, raising fears of a full-scale war, which both sides have indicated they want to avoid and diplomats are working to prevent. As the latest violence played out in areas at or near the frontier – in keeping with the pattern of the last nine months – the sound of sonic booms rattled nerves for the second successive day in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. Israeli jets broke the sound barrier…

China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin pressed their case yesterday for closer security, political and economic co-operation between countries of the vast Eurasian region as a counterweight to Western alliances. They were speaking on the final day of a summit in the Kazakh capital Astana of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), a club launched in 2001 by Russia, China and Central Asian states and now including India, Iran and Pakistan. “SCO members should consolidate unity and jointly oppose external interference,” Xi said, warning against the West’s “Cold War mentality”. Putin reiterated Russia’s call for “a new architecture of co-operation, indivisible security and development in Eurasia, designed to replace the outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models, which gave unilateral advantages only to certain states”. He blamed the West for the…

NEW DELHI: Indian police said yesterday that they had arrested six people in connection with the stampede at a Hindu religious event in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh this week in which 121 people were killed. The stampede happened on Tuesday in Phulrai Mughal Garhi village of Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, where about 250 000 people had gathered to listen to preacher Suraj Pal Singh. The organisers had got permission for a gathering of only 80 000. Baba said that the stampede was caused by “anti-social elements”. The four men and two women arrested were involved in organising the event, police said. | Reuters…

Paris: The water quality of the Seine has improved, test results showed yesterday, three weeks ahead of the start of the Paris Olympics when the river is set to host outdoor swimming events. Results published by the Paris mayor’s office showed that E coli bacteria levels at an Olympics swimming spot in central Paris, the Alexandre III bridge, had fallen to within acceptable limits for four days in a row following warm weather in the French capital. Previous levels of E coli, a bacteria indicating the presence of faecal matter, had been 10 times the upper limit at the jumping-off point for the swimming. Major storms still overwhelm the capital’s waste water network, leading to discharges of untreated sewage directly into the river. | AFP…

THE establishment of the portfolio committee that will play an oversight role on the President is one of the matters under serious consideration by the new Parliament. Yesterday, parties were in agreement on the establishment of the committee. Briefing the institution’s rules committee, National Assembly Secretary Masibulele Xaso said the rules made provision for five standing committees that included, finance, appropriations, public accounts, auditor general and powers and privileges. “They are provided for in terms of the law,” Xaso said. He also said following the constituting of the Cabinet, there were now 32 ministries. “We are proposing that these 30 portfolio committees be established and they are in line with ministries that have been created,” he said. The last Parliament had 27 portfolio committees, but the number increased due to…

WHILE A consecutive round of routine monthly water sampling in April again showed levels of non-compliance at various points of the Black River, the City says there has been an improvement in effluent quality since then. This follows complaints from residents in the vicinity of the Athlone WasteWater Treatment Works (WWTW) who expressed their concerns of inhaling potential harmful gases and continued exposure to the foul smells. Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien explained that two sewer main risings were damaged and caused raw sewage to flow into rivers in the vicinity of the WWTW. Badroodien said: “On February 27, the Langa Rising Main, which pumps waste from the Langa Main Pump Station into the inlet of WWTW, ruptured and caused raw sewage to enter the Vygekraal River.…

How the Light Gets In Joyce Maynard Loot.co.za (R650) HarperCollins FOLLOWING the death of her former husband, Cam, 54-year-old Eleanor has moved back to the New Hampshire farm where they raised three children to care for their brain-injured son, Toby, now an adult. Toby’s older brother, Al, is married and living in Seattle with his wife; their sister, Ursula, lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Although all appears stable, old resentments, anger, and bitterness simmer just beneath the surface. How the Light Gets In follows Eleanor and her family through 15 years (2010 to 2024) as their story plays out against a uniquely American backdrop and the events that transform their world (climate change, the January 6th insurrection, school violence) and shape their lives (later-life love, parental…

Just over a week ago, an unexpected book landed at my desk, and without reading the back of the book, I was immediately drawn to the cover and embossed title. I had no idea what I was in for when I started to read the early chapters of Claudine Shiels’s memoir. “Rewind and start again.” “Perhaps our lives will be even more effective because of what we endured. It isn’t how it starts, it’s how it finishes … ” writes Shiels. Shiels’s memoir is an honest account of what took place behind closed doors. She begins by warmly talking about her childhood, especially the time with Ma Brown and Aunty Gladys. She remembers special walks with her grandmother through Plumstead Cemetery. These sweet memories lead into a much tougher story.…

And don’t expect meaningful opposition to GNU policy from the opposition groupings​ DO THE recent election outcomes truly represent the will of the people? Forty-two million South Africans were eligible to vote in the 2024 elections, but only 16.3 million (39%) turned out. This is in line with a pattern of declining voter interest which we have seen all the way back to 1994. It means that a whopping 61% (or, 26 million citizens) in a powerful sense have spoken. It means that a significant majority of our citizenry decisively rejects the electoral system. The major partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU), the ANC and the DA, garnered 62% of the vote. Thus, we will be ruled by a government placed in power by a mere 10.1 million…

Britain voted yesterday in a general election widely expected to hand the opposition Labour Party a landslide win and end nearly a decade-and-a-half of Conservative rule. The first national ballot since Boris Johnson won the Tories a decisive victory in 2019 follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s surprise call to hold it six months earlier than required. His gamble looks set to backfire spectacularly, with polls throughout the six-week campaign – and for the past two years – pointing to a heavy defeat for his right-wing party. That would almost certainly put Labour leader Keir Starmer, 61, in Downing Street, as leader of the largest party in parliament. Centre-left Labour is projected to win its first general election since 2005 by historic proportions, with a flurry of election-eve polls all forecasting…

The EU yesterday slapped extra provisional duties of up to 38% on Chinese electric car imports because of Beijing’s “unfair” support, a move that risks escalating tensions with Beijing. A European Commission probe concluded that state subsidies for Chinese EV manufacturers were unfairly undercutting European rivals, which Brussels wants to shield as they transition from thermal to electric power. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce slammed the tariffs, coming on top of import duties of 10% as “politically- motivated” and “protectionist”. Germany, which does significant trade with China, fears it will lead to a clampdown on EU exports, which Beijing has already threatened. | Reuters…

Oslo: The gunman who killed two people at Oslo’s 2022 Pride festival was handed decades behind bars yesterday over the attack that the court said aimed to “instil fear in LGBTQ people”. Zaniar Matapour, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, was found guilty of opening fire on June 25, 2022 outside two bars in central Oslo, including a famous gay club, just hours before the Pride Parade. Nine other people were wounded. Norway handed the 45-year-old Norwegian of Iranian origin the maximum penalty of 30 years behind bars, with possible extensions, for committing an “aggravated act of terror.” | AFP…

QUITO: Ecuadorean police said yesterday 49 kidnapping victims were rescued from the Los Lobos crime gang in a mining region of the southern Azuay province. An earlier statement by the armed forces had said 46 people were rescued and that another five people had been found killed, four of them dismembered. Ecuador is struggling amid spiralling violent crime, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare states of emergency – under which military forces patrol streets and jails. He has also designated 22 crime gangs as terrorist groups. More than 20 people opened fire on soldiers during the operation, Ecuador’s army said. | Reuters…

PERHAPS one of the reasons behind the Proteas Women’s winless run in the ongoing tour to India, beaten in three ODIs and the one-off Test, lies in the absence of the bowling credentials of seasoned opening bowler Marizanne Kapp. At the ripe age of 34, and taking into account Kapp’s workload, it has been a strategic move for the Proteas to give her a bit of rest, especially with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh around the corner. The right-handed batter has been contributing with the bat, though, scoring one century and a couple of crucial half-tons on tour. “The T20 World Cup is the main thing that she has to be ready for and to make sure that she’s available for those games,” Proteas Women’s captain Laura Wolvaardt told…

Police are investigating the cyberattack on the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). The NHLS, which offers diagnostic services, has been forced to communicate all urgent results by telephone to requesting clinicians. Under normal circumstances, the laboratory reports are automatically generated and sent to clinicians or made available on WebView, but the attack has disabled that functionality. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed there was a case opened at Sandringham police station in Johannesburg. The security breach was confirmed in June and compromised the NHLS systems and infrastructure. NHLS CEO Professor Koleka Mlisana this week said that the service delivery and testing side of all laboratories were functioning, although providing test results to the clinicians was still a challenge. “The NHLS has distributed a critical test list to all…

Newly appointed Public Works and Infrastructure Minister fired up to adopt a zero-tolerance approach Reclaiming hijacked buildings, tackling construction Mafias and helping eradicate pit toilets in public schools are among the priorities newly appointed Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has identified. In an interview with the Cape Times yesterday, a day after his swearing-in as minister, Macpherson outlined plans for his department, saying the government owned about 88 000 buildings and nearly 5 million hectares of land that should be used for the benefit of the public. “I met with my director-general and we’re going to start conceptualising about how we re-imagine and utilise public assets for public good. I think it’s a critically important department that maybe hasn’t received that attention and focus that’s needed.…

SOCIAL Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has hailed police for the arrest of a 19-year-old who was recorded on video assaulting his grandmother in Kraaifontein, despite the refusal of the elderly victim to open a case. The incident, which trended for the past two days on social media, caused outrage and a number of politicians and organisations expressed shock. The man was arrested on Wednesday night at his residence, although the incident happened in June. In the video footage, an exchange of words between the grandmother and grandson at her house over food quickly escalates when she attempts to reach for a pot of mealie pap on the stove. The man is seen shoving the grandmother and further smacked her on the head with force causing her to fall. When the…

Talent for Murder Peter Swanson Loot.co.za (R515) William Morrow A NEWLYWED librarian begins to suspect the man she married is a murderer in this spectacularly twisty and deviously clever novel by Peter Swanson. Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her work as a librarian in Maine. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured salesman whose job took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger. A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn…

Mind Games Nora Roberts Loot.co.za (R230) Piatkus Thea Fox is just 12 years old when her parents are brutally slain. With Thea’s help the police are able to put their murderer – a psychotic serial killer called Ray Riggs – behind bars for life. Changed forever, Thea slowly learns to come to terms with the events of that terrible night and builds a new life in a small country town where she can breathe in the smells of pine, fresh bread and her grandmother’s home-made candles. But the connection that helped Thea put her parents’ killer behind bars will come to haunt her. Though her grandmother calls it a gift, to Thea it feels more like a curse because Ray feels the connection too and though Thea may try to…

Present Tense Natalie Conyer Penguin I’d like to give a warm welcome to the newest detective on the local crime thriller scene: Captain Schalk Lourens – without the Oom, for those who remember the Herman Charles Bosman character – an amusing sidebar to my mind. He makes his entrance in the debut novel Present Tense by Natalie Conyer. The author was born in Cape Town but now lives in Sydney, Australia, and this police procedural has already won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime in Australia, was shortlisted for the Davitt Awards and voted one of the best reads of the year by The Australian newspaper. I enjoy SA crime thrillers: the familiarity of the terrain, the very real characters that try so hard to protect us,…

GAYTON McKenzie – that is the name of the new South African Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. The leader of the Patriotic Alliance was officially sworn in along with all other ministers of the country’s Seventh Administration under democratic rule. McKenzie is one of the most interesting appointments in this administration, with some headlines introducing him as: “McKenzie, a former gangster, bank robber who became a club owner and now South Africa’s minister of Sports, Arts and Culture”. Now that clearly is no bio for your mainstream politician but, of course, many have been labelled “gangsters” because of their leadership styles. The truth, no one really cares about his past at this stage. Having become a motivational speaker is already a good start. He has already contributed to the…

Hurricane Beryl powered towards Mexico and the Cayman Islands yesterday, threatening strong winds and a storm surge after battering Jamaica’s southern coast. Beryl weakened to a Category 3 storm overnight, sustaining winds of 200km/h but is forecast to be “at or near major hurricane intensity” while it passes by the Caymans, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). “Strong winds, dangerous storm surge and damaging winds” were expected across the Cayman Islands overnight, the NHC said yesterday. The storm has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, killing at least seven people and bringing with it flash floods and mudslides as it moves towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is the first since NHC records began to reach the Category 4 level in June and the earliest to…

WASHINGTON: US Republican candidate Donald Trump’s campaign and some of his allies have launched a pre-emptive political strike on Vice President Kamala Harris, to try to discredit her amid talk that she might replace President Joe Biden atop the party’s 2024 presidential ticket. Trump’s Republican allies appear to be preparing for an all-out assault on Harris should Biden, 81, decide to end his re-election bid following his feeble debate performance last week. “She’s proven to be the … worst vice president in history, and she has 100% supported Joe Biden in every single disastrous policy that he has implemented,” said a spokesperson for the Trump campaign. | Reuters…

BENI: Militia fighters attacked a Chinese-linked mining site in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), killing six Chinese nationals and at least two Congolese soldiers, local officials said yesterday. China condemned the attack, which took place in Djugu territory in the gold-rich Ituri province. Local officials said it was carried out by the Codeco (Co-operative for the Development of the Congo) militia. It is mainly made up of fighters from the Lendu ethnic group, which they claim to defend. The Red Cross said the Codeco fighters had come across the Chinese digging for gold. The army confirmed the toll. | Reuters…

ALTHOUGH in his prime, Handre Pollard’s role in the Springboks’ set-up has become a dynamic one. Once a greenhorn when he was first selected for the Boks back in 2014, the 30-year-old is now undoubtedly a veteran of the team. The Leicester Tigers flyhalf will earn his 70th Test cap against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld this weekend, and while he will look to increase his points tally of 698 and ensure victory, he now also has the added responsibility of guiding the newly introduced batch of inexperienced players to the international game. Although only Gerhard Steenekamp, Salmaan Moerat, Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have 10 or less caps in a powerful matchday 23 selected by coach Rassie Erasmus for the match on Saturday (kick-off 5.05pm), there is a gaggle of…